The University of Sheffield’s Chemistry News Team Issue 2 : October 2014 THE ELUSIVE GLASSBLOWER POLITICS OF THE LECTURE THEATRE BEHIND THE SCENES INSIGHTS THE CHEMISTRY OF BREWING Resonance, October 2014 1 October 2014 Resonance is a biannual newsletter produced by chemistry students at the University NEWS FEATURES of Sheffield. It aims to provide insights into unheard stories from the Department and University, and to engage you with issues in the wider scientific world. LOCAL FOCUS INSIGHT Team members and contributing authors: Heather Carson, Michaela Fitzpatrick-Milton, Maya Singer Hobbs, Cate O’Brien, Friederike Dannheim, Gobika Chandrakumar Environmental success for The Department’s elusive chemistry technicians glassblower brought into Design: Editor-in-Cheif: Secretary: Kieran Chadwick Alex Stockham Jenna Spencer-Briggs light A graduate’s success in the Copy edited and reviewed by: House of Commons Cate, Jenna, Rike, Michaela, Dr Simon Jones & Prof. Mike Ward ACCOUNT Prof. Armes flying high A take on the undertones of Department bestowed with lecture theatre politics Athena SWAN Bronze A Note From the Editor INSIGHT Sterotype-challenging elcome, one and all, to this second issue of Resonance. Hello also video production by Dr Grant Hill reveals the Wto the Department’s newcomers; students from around the world, academics, support staff, and especially the first students from Nanjing. SciCommSoc chemical complexities The year is 2014, the location is Sheffield. What a beautiful place to be. behind our favourite tipple This edition is fresh off the press, bigger and bolder than before. In it we present news from far and near, and stories from within the Department. GLOBAL FEATURES REVIEW Read further and you’ll find our features: the elusive glassblower; the chemistry of brewing; a take on the politics of lectures; and a review of Nurturing the atmosphere chemical Apps. Four close-to-home Apps with catalytic poetry tested and reviewed by Rike This edition will be my last as its Editor. I started this project just under two years ago, with no experience of writing or media production. All Finding the enigmatic it took was a leap of faith, some hard work, and a team of dedicated Element 117 INTERVIEW students. I hope the foundations have been laid for the future of Resonance; to sustain all it needs are new contributors - of ideas, articles, Geochemists find evidence A close encounter with and co-operation. for the ‘Big Smash’ Dr Ed Warminski Other than these - Thank you for reading, and writing, and smiling - my final words now follow. Engage with matter in its context – material, biological and social. Merge ideas from across the sciences. Take care with absolutes, rules and assumptions. And most importantly, stay curious. Cover picture: Dan Jackson, the Department’s glassblower, Taken by Alex Stockham University Oxford Image courtesy of net_efekt / Flickr : DNA Molecule, 2 Resonance, October 2014 Resonance, October 2014 3 October 2014 Resonance is a biannual newsletter produced by chemistry students at the University NEWS FEATURES of Sheffield. It aims to provide insights into unheard stories from the Department and University, and to engage you with issues in the wider scientific world. LOCAL FOCUS INSIGHT Team members and contributing authors: Heather Carson, Michaela Fitzpatrick-Milton, Maya Singer Hobbs, Cate O’Brien, Friederike Dannheim, Gobika Chandrakumar Environmental success for The Department’s elusive chemistry technicians glassblower brought into Design: Editor-in-Cheif: Secretary: Kieran Chadwick Alex Stockham Jenna Spencer-Briggs light A graduate’s success in the Copy edited and reviewed by: House of Commons Cate, Jenna, Rike, Michaela, Dr Simon Jones & Prof. Mike Ward ACCOUNT Prof. Armes flying high A take on the undertones of Department bestowed with lecture theatre politics Athena SWAN Bronze A Note From the Editor INSIGHT Sterotype-challenging elcome, one and all, to this second issue of Resonance. Hello also video production by Dr Grant Hill reveals the Wto the Department’s newcomers; students from around the world, academics, support staff, and especially the first students from Nanjing. SciCommSoc chemical complexities The year is 2014, the location is Sheffield. What a beautiful place to be. behind our favourite tipple This edition is fresh off the press, bigger and bolder than before. In it we present news from far and near, and stories from within the Department. GLOBAL FEATURES REVIEW Read further and you’ll find our features: the elusive glassblower; the chemistry of brewing; a take on the politics of lectures; and a review of Nurturing the atmosphere chemical Apps. Four close-to-home Apps with catalytic poetry tested and reviewed by Rike This edition will be my last as its Editor. I started this project just under two years ago, with no experience of writing or media production. All Finding the enigmatic it took was a leap of faith, some hard work, and a team of dedicated Element 117 INTERVIEW students. I hope the foundations have been laid for the future of Resonance; to sustain all it needs are new contributors - of ideas, articles, Geochemists find evidence A close encounter with and co-operation. for the ‘Big Smash’ Dr Ed Warminski Other than these - Thank you for reading, and writing, and smiling - my final words now follow. Engage with matter in its context – material, biological and social. Merge ideas from across the sciences. Take care with absolutes, rules and assumptions. And most importantly, stay curious. Cover picture: Dan Jackson, the Department’s glassblower, Taken by Alex Stockham University Oxford Image courtesy of net_efekt / Flickr : DNA Molecule, 2 Resonance, October 2014 Resonance, October 2014 3 Resonance News Professor Armes SciCommSoc create steals the show of 2014 ‘Women in STEM’ video Environmental success 2014 has been a year of stem cell storage. The challenges faced by six barriers faced by female in the chemistry stores multiple achievements May was a bonanza. female academics during academics in their career Peter Farran and Nick the best recyclers in the for Steve Armes, the Prof Armes was elected their careers have been progression, and how they Smith, two of the Depart- Faculty. Department’s Professor as a Fellow of the Royal documented in a short can be dealt with. ment’s Green Impact Team, Peter was honoured with of Colloid and Polymer Society - the highest video compilation. The video was pub- have been bestowed with the award from a scheme Chemistry. honor avaialable in UK The video, entitled ‘The lished in conjunction with awards, honours and gifts he began 18 years ago - It started off with his academia- and received Progression of Women International Women’s Day for their environmental returning polystyrene chip research being featured an Interdisciplinary Award in STEM’ was filmed and – which is due to happen responsibility. packaging to suppliers for on the cover of Advanced and the Tilden Medal produced by students of next on the 8th of March Peter received the reuse. Roughly 7500 bags Functional Materials, and from the Royal Society the MSc Science Com- 2015. a £653,000 grant from the of Chemistry.Who knows munication course and Environmental Hero of polystyrene have been It can be watched via: Engineering and Physical what he’s got in store for SciCommSoc. award, and a signed recycled since then. http://youtu.be cI2UidxV6-0 Sheffield Wednesday shirt What’s more, over the Sciences Research Council 2015? It aims to bring to light which he said “takes pride past year, everything from to create polymers for some of the issues and of place in my office”. waste solvents (14,145 The team received a litres), to electrical waste Silver Green Impact award, (700 items), and pipette which follows on from tip boxes (4 bins-full) have their success last year as been recycled. Peter (left) and Nick being presented with a signed football shirt Department welcomes Another step towards gender first Nanjing students equality in the Department From this September, staff from Sheffield. The Department of said “The Department Professor Armes: A master in the field of polymer science our Department will be They will join our Level 3 Chemistry and Faculty of is delighted that the The title shot from the new SciCommSoc video home to the first cohort of cohort for a year of study Science and have been Athena Swan Award students from the Nanjing to complete their BSc awarded the Athena SWAN has recognized its good Tech University. degrees. Bronze Award. practice in supporting The 20 students, Resonance News would The Award is designed to women in Science.” who arrived during the like to wish all the new promote gender equality This year also saw the Chemistry graduate honored in House of Commons summer, have studied for students joining us for the in academic institutions, launch of the Sprint After presenting his Until recently, this the production of more their work to audiences three years in China with new academic year a warm and support the careers Women’s Development research in the House of area has been restricted efficient solar cells, which with limited scientific classes given by visiting of women in science, Programme. This intensive welcome to Sheffield! Commons, a graduate by a lack of knowledge could aid in the transition knowledge. technology, engineering, course is designed from the Department won of the self-assembly away from fossil fuel Dan’s award-winning maths and medicine. to prepare female the bronze award at this process. However, Dan’s dependency. poster was praised for Professor Jane Grasby, undergraduates for year’s Science Engineering research has led to a SET for Britain is a showing ‘the pathway chair of the Faculty’s potential gender issues and Technology (SET) for development of a new poster competition held to the development of Equality Diversity that may arise through Britain competition.